How Ning Zhongyan rose from ashes to become China's standout star at Speed Skating World Cup

Ning Zhongyan's profound disappointment following the men's 1,500-meter speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics still lingers in his memory.

Despite achieving the best-ever performance by a Chinese male athlete in this event, finishing seventh, Ning was gutted. Drenched in tears, the 24-year-old confessed, "I failed to perform at my usual level, perhaps due to the immense psychological pressure. This was my first time competing on home turf, my debut Winter Olympics, and it's truly regrettable that I couldn't give it my all."

After a long and arduous 21-month wait, Ning found himself back in the bittersweet embrace of the National Speed Skating Oval, his homeland's skating sanctuary. This time, he was there to compete in the Beijing leg of the Speed Skating World Cup, a grand event that drew 241 top-notch athletes from all corners of the globe. It marked the first elite speed skating competition held at the venue since the Winter Olympics.

Over the course of three exhilarating days, Ning has emerged as a completely revitalized skater and left an indelible mark on the ice. He first claimed the silver medal in the fiercely competitive 1,500m race. Following that, he joined forces with Liu Bin and Du Haonan to secure the silver medal in the team sprint. Finally, Ning sealed his triumphant return by clinching the bronze medal in the 1,000m event, solidifying his position among the sport's elite.

With the conclusion of the event in Beijing, Ning has graced the podium a total of three times in this tournament, snatching a silver medal and two bronze medals. Alongside his achievements in the season's inaugural World Cup event in Obihiro, Japan, where he claimed a silver medal in the 1,000m and a bronze in the 1,500m, Ning has established himself as the Chinese athlete with the most medals this season.

Later in the day, Ning expressed his delight in ending the tournament on a high note: "I'm extremely pleased with my results this time. If a perfect score is 10, I would give myself an 11. Returning to my home turf, I managed to fine-tune my form to its peak, ultimately achieving a commendable outcome." 

When quizzed about his notable progress in comparison to the Winter Olympics, Ning responded with reflective insight: "Previously, I was still maturing and experienced fluctuations in my performance. However, this year, I've achieved a more consistent state overall."

"In all honesty, I've felt a stronger sense of responsibility in this new season, and my mindset has grown more mature. With many younger athletes on the team, it's our veteran athletes' duty to guide them towards reaching higher levels of excellence."

Though the World Championships remain on the horizon this year, Ning has already set his sights on the next Winter Olympics. "I'm determined to rectify any lingering regrets from Beijing," he boldly declared.

"I'll make a resounding comeback in Milan."